Apparatus for sorting and identifying sources of workpieces



Feb. 13, 1962 J. M. BECKMAN, JR

Filed Sept. 21, 1959 IFIGJ.

CLASSIFICATION R mi OH 0 ME E T N E M D CE .Im 7 w 2 4 G 3 2 m NUTS WHKMMI/ m M M D m G 2 NE WR 4 IN 61 m w '6 mm mm m M w m I as G H 19%|, FN mm mu W v P M .lfirffi ATTOR EYS JOEL M. BEOKMAN JR.

United States Patent Ofifice 3,021,006 Patented Feb. 13, 1962 3,021,006APPARATUS FOR SORTING AND IDENTIFYING SOURCES OF WORKPIECES Joel M.Becl-nnan, in, Pontiac, Mich., assignor to National Breach & MachineCompany, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 21, 1959,Ser. No. 841,249 12 Claims. (Cl. 209-1115) The present invention relatesto quality control apparatus and refers more particularly to apparatusfor sorting articles from different sources according to predeterminedcharacteristics thereof and identifying the sources of the articles.

In the past it has been known to provide classification units operatingin conjunction with producing machines such as machines for producinggears to classify the articles produced by the machines according topredetermined characteristics such as helix angle in the case of gears.Such classification may be in terms of undersized, oversized or correctsized articles or just good and bad articles. The known classificationunits are normally capable of classifying many more articles in a givenperiod of time than can be produced by a single producing machine in asimilar length of time. Therefore to operate a classification unitefiiciently it is desirable to provide means whereby a singleclassification unit may be used to sort articles from a plurality ofproducing machines. Such a classification unit should also be capable ofidentifying the source of each article so that the particular machine ofsaid plurality of machines producing articles of particularcharacteristics may be readily determined.

Therefore it is one of the objects of the present invention to provideapparatus for sorting articles from different sources according topredetermined characteristics thereof and identifying the sources of thearticles.

Another object is to provide in conjunction with a plurality ofproducing machines marker means capable of imparting a distinctivecharacteristic to articles produced by each machine, a singleclassification unit for classifying articles from all of said pluralityof producing machines, and means associated with said classificationunit to detect said distinctive characteristics whereby the source of aparticular article may be determined.

Another object is to provide in conjunction with a plurality ofproducing machines marker means capable of imparting a distinctivecharacteristic to articles produced by each machine, a singleclassification unit for classifying articles from all of said pluralityof producing machines, and error detector means operably associated withsaid classification unit to detect predetermined characteristics similarto all articles and machine sensor means operably associated with saidfirst mentioned means and said classification unit to detect saiddistinctive characteristic whereby said articles may be classified bothas to the predetermined characteristics thereof and the machineproducing them.

Another object is to provide apparatus for sorting articles as set forthabove wherein said marker means comprises devices for painting a portionof each article produced by each machine a separate color representativeof each machine.

Another object is to provide apparatus for sorting articles as set forthabove wherein said machine sensor comprises a device operable to producea voltage the magnitude of which is dependent on the color of themarking on the article applied thereto by the marker units.

Another object is to provide apparatus for sorting articles as set forthabove which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture andefficient in use.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the article sortingapparatus of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a marker unit of thearticle sorting apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partially diagrammatic and partially schematic diagram ofthe machine sensor and error detector of the article sort-ing apparatusillustrated in FIG- URE 1 showing the particular electrical controlsthereof.

With reference to the drawing a particular embodiment of the articlesorting and identifying apparatus of the invention will now bedescribed.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown article producing machines 4, 6 and 8 whichfunction to produce similar articles 10 and to discharge them throughchutes 12, 14 and 16 from whence they pass to the chute 18 forconveyance to a classification unit 22 past an error detector 20 and amachine sensor 24. Marker units 25, 26 and 27 are positioned adjacentchutes 12, 14 and 16 respectively and are operable on an article passingthrough the chute associated therewith to distinctively mark eacharticle produced by the particular machines 4, 6 and 8. The machinesensor unit 24 is provided adjacent chute 18 to detect the distinctivecharacteristics of the articles produced by the marker units so that aseach article passes the error detector 20 and proceeds to the classification unit 22 the machine which produced the article will be known.With the apparatus illustrated it is possible to classify articlesproduced by a plurality of producing machines both as to departurestherein from characteristics common to each article and as to themachine producing each article.

More specifically machines 4, 6 and 8 may be for example gear producingmachines for producing similar gears 10 and discharging the finishedgears 10 through chutes 12, 14 and 16. As the finished gears 10 passthrough the chutes 12, 14 and 16 a distinctive characteristic is givento the gears produced by each particular machine by means of markerunits 25, 26 and 27. These marker units may be actuated by the gearspassing over and mechanically operating switches SW1, SW2 and SW3 inchutes 12, 14 and 16 respectively.

The distinctive characteristic of the individual gears imparted theretoby marker units 25, 26 and 27 may vary considerably and may be forexample different levels of radio activity, different magneticcharacteristics, different temperatures, stamped markings, or colormarkings. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawingsa mark of a distinctive color is applied to each gear by means of markerunits 25, 26 and 27 comprising devices such as that indicated in FIGURE2 wherein paint is caused to spray on the gears 10 from a nozzle 28connected to a reservoir 29 on actuation of one of the switches SW1, SW2and SW3 by a gear passing down chute 12, 14 or 16 respectively.

The articles 10 after having been distinctively marked proceed alongchute 18 to gate 30 at which point they are caused to stop by gate 30,which may be an electrically actuated mechanical gate, to await theirturn in passing by the machine sensor 24, error detector 20 and throughthe classifier unit 22 as will later be discussed. Gate 30 may beautomatically operated on the completion of the classification of aparticular gear as will later be discussed in more detail. Gates such asgate 30 are well known in the artand since the details of gate 30 formno part of the present invention they will not be considered in detail.

The machine sensor 24 must-be capable of difierentiating between thedistinctive characteristics applied to the gears by the individualmarker units 25, 26 and 27. Thus the type of machine sensor 24 to beused will be determined by the type of distinctive marking applied tothe gears 10. When a paint of a distinctive color is applied on thegears 10 the machine sensor 24 may take the form shown at the upper leftin FIGURE 3 wherein alight sensitive tube 32 is placed in proximity tothe chute 18 (shown in FIGURE 1) and receives light through the coloredlenses 34 operable to filter the light according to the lens color. Thelight filtered through lenses 34 is effective to cause the lightsensitive tube 32 to produce a difierent electrical signal for eachdistinctive color. It will be understood of course that other machinesensors capable of producing different electrical signals due to sensingof the distinctive marks applied to the articles 10 by the marker units25, 26 and 27 must be used with marker units which impart distinctivecharacteristics to gears 10 other than colored marks as discussed above.

The error detector and classification unit 22 for gears 10 arecompletely set forth in copending applications Serial No. 466,118, filedNovember 1, 1954, now Patent No. 2,983,375, and Serial No. 795,005,filed February 25, 1959, which are assigned to the same assignee as thepresent application. Therefore since the details of the error detectorand classification unit form no part of the present invention they willnot be considered in detail herein. It will be understood however thatthe error detector is an apparatus operable to inspect finished articlessuch as gears and tocreate an electrical signal in accordance with theinspected characteristics of said article. For example a differentelectrical signal may be produced for good and bad articles inspected bythe error detector.

The classification unit 22 is such that on receiving a particularcombination of voltages from the machine sensor and error detector itwill cause the article producing such voltages to pass out of theclassifier through a predetermined one of chutes 36. A series of chutes36 are provided for each machine feeding articles to the classifier,there being one chute in each series for each condition of the gearsinspected by the error detector 20. Thus with three machines 4, 6 and 8feeding gears 10 to classifier 22 and the error detector 20 detectinggood and bad gears six chutes 36 are provided leading from theclassifier 22. The operation of the error detector 20, machine sensor24, gate 30, and classification unit 22, and their coordination willbecome more apparent as the operation of the article sorting andidentifying apparatus of the invention is disclosed.

As previously indicated in the operation of the apparatus just describedmachines 4, 6 and 8 are operative to produce individual similar articlessuch as gears 10. As the gears 10 are discharged from machines 4, 6 and8 through chutes 12, 14 and 16 respectively they are caused tomechanically close switches SW1, SW2 and SW3 activating marker units 25,26 and 27 whereby paint of a distinctive color is applied thereto. Thegears 10' then proceed along the chute 18 to the gate 30 which as willsubsequently be disclosed periodically allows a single gear 10 toproceed past the machine sensor 24 and error detector 20, into theclassification unit 22 and out through one of the chutes 36.

As the individual gears pass by the machine sensor 24 light reflectedfrom the distinctive paint thereon passes through light filter 34striking the light sensitive tube 32 to create an electrical signal onconductor 38, shown in FIGURE 3, which is related in magnitude to thedistinctive color of paint on the gear. This signal is amplified inamplifier and passed through coil 42. The amplified signal passingthrough coil 42 causes the core 44 thereof to move arm 46 of selectorswitch SSWI into contact with one of the terminals 48, 50 and 52 inopposition to spring 54 which tends to move the core 44 into theposition shown where arm 46 is not in contact with any of the terminals48, 50 and 52. As will be obvious the arm 46 will successively contacteach of the terminals 48, 50 and 52 in turn providing the signaldeveloped by the light sensitive tube 32 and amplified in the amplifier40 is of suflicient magnitude.

As the arm 46 of switch SSWI comes in contact with the terminal '48thereof, relay coil A is energized by means of the electrical energysource 49 through otfset conductor 51, conductor 53 and switch SSWl.Energizing relay coil A causes relay contacts A1 which are actuatedthereby and which are normally open as shown to close. A holding circuitthrough normally closed contacts F1 and B2 and now closed contacts A1for relay coil A, should arm 46 proceed toward contact 50 due to a largesignal produced by tube 32 and applied to coil 42, or should arm 46 becaused to return to the position shown due to the bias of spring 54, isthus provided on closing of relay contacts A1.

Contacts A2 and A3 also operated by relay coil A are associated with theerror detector portion of the schematic diagram which will be discussedin more detail later. Contacts A2 and A3 are normally open as shown butwill be closed on energization of relay coil A to allow subsequentenergization of solenoids S1 and S4. Solenoids S1 and S4 are operable onbeing energized to cause gears to be diverted into one of a pair ofchutes 36 on classification unit 22, which pair of chutes are associatedwith machine 4, depending on whether the gears are good or bad asdetermined by error detector 20.

If the arm 46 moves from contact 48 to engage contact 50 due to a largersignal passed through coil 42 from amplifier 40 due to a signal fromlight sensitive tube 32 produced by an article having a differentdistinctive color such as for example that applied by marker unit 26,relay coil B will be caused to be energized. On energization of relaycoil B the normally closed contacts B2 in the holding circuit for relaycoil A will open causing the relay coil A to be deenergized causingcontacts A1, A2 and A3 to open. At the same time contacts B1 will beclosed providing a holding circuit for relay coil B through normallyclosed contacts F2 and C2. Also it will be noted that the normally opencontacts B3 and B4 in the error detector portion of the schematicportion of FIGURE 3 are closed on energization of relay coil B wherebythe only solenoids 81-56 which can be energized in the error detectorcircuit are solenoids S2 and S5. Solenoids S2 and S5 are operable tocause gears to be diverted into one of a pair of chutes 36 onclassification unit 22 associated with machine 6 depending on whetherthe gear is good or bad as controlled by the error detector assubsequently will be described.

Likewise if the signal developed by the machine sensor 24 is of agreater magnitude representative of a gear 10 produced by machine 8 arm46 will be caused to swing past both contacts 48 and 50 into engagementwith contact 52 due to the action of coil 42 on core 44 in opposition tospring 54. On arm 46 engaging contact 52 a circuit from energy source 49to relay coil C is completed whereby the relay coil C is energized.

The energization of relay coil C will cause normally open contacts C1 toclose providing a holding circuit for energization of relay coil Cthrough normally closed contacts F3. At the same time normally closedcontacts C2 open breaking the holding circuit to relay coil B, thusdeenergizing relay coil B. On deenergization of relay coil B contacts B3and B4 are returned to their normal open position. Energization of relaycoil C also causes contacts C3 and C4 which are normally open to closeWhereby solenoid S3 or solenoid S6 associated with the classification ofgears produced by machine 8 may be energized as will subsequently beexplained.

Thus it can be seen that the machine sensor 24 senses the diiferentdistinctive characteristic imparted to the gears 10 by the marker unitassociated with each producing machine and by means of the electricalcontrol circuit just described permits classification of the gears onlywith gears from the same producing machine. The gears from eachproducing machine may then be classified according to the particularcommon characteristics thereof. That is to say the gears from a givenmachine may then be classified as to whether they are good gears or badgears by means of the error detector 20.

The error detector 20 which as previously indicated may be as disclosedin commonly owned application, Serial No. 795,005, which develops anelectrical signal of different magnitude depending on the presence orabsence of particular measured characteristics such as helix angle ofgears 10 produced by the producing machines.

As indicated in connection with the machine sensor 24 an electricalsignal passing through coil 56 associated with error detector 20 shownin FIGURE 3 will cause core 58 to pivot arm 60 of selector switch SSW2into successive engagement with contacts 62 and 64 of switch SSW2 inopposition to spring 66. Assuming that a smaller signal is produced byerror detector 20 for gears 10 which have desired characteristics andare therefore good the arm 60 will be caused by this signal to engagecontact 62 whereby the relay coil D is energized closing normally opencontacts D1 to provide a holding circuit for relay coil D throughnormally closed contacts E2 and F4 whereby one of the three solenoidsS1, S2 and S3 will be energized depending on which of the contacts A2,B3 or C3 have been closed due to the machine sensor 24 sensing a gear 10from producing machine 4, 6 or 8 as previously described.

Thus it will be seen that solenoid S1 will be energized only when a goodgear from producing machine 4 passes the machine sensor 24 and errordetector 20 and solenoid S2 is energized when a good gear from prOducingmachine 6 is transferred to classification unit 22. Likewise solenoid S3is energized on transfer of a good gear from producing machine 8 toclassification unit 22.

A larger electrical signal is then produced by error detector 20,amplified in amplifier 68 and fed to coil 56 on the error detector 20sensing a gear whose particular common characteristics are undesirable,whereupon arm 60 of switch SSW2 is caused to engage contact 64 toenergize relay coil E. Energizing relay coil E causes the normallyclosed relay contact E2 to open breaking the holding circuit to relaycoil D whereupon none of the solenoids S1, S2 and S3 associated withgood gears 10 may be energized. At the same time normally open contactsE1 are caused to close providing a holding circuit for relay coil E.Thus at this time one of the solenoids S4, S5 and S6 may be energizeddepending on which of the machines produced the bad gear as sensed bymachine sensor 24 as previously indicated.

Thus it will be seen that one of the solenoids 81-86 and only one willbe energized by signals produced from the machine sensor 24 and errordetector 20 in response to a gear being transferred to theclassification unit 22. The solenoids 51-86 as fully explained incommonly owned application, Serial No. 466,118 control means in theclassification unit to direct the gears 10 transferred thereto to aparticular one of the classification chutes 36. Thus the solenoids 81-86will direct the gears 10 produced by each of the producing machines 4, 6or 8 to a particular one of the chutes 36 depending on whether the gearsare good or bad and which machine produced the gear.

As the gears 10 are discharged from the classification unit 22 throughthe chutes 36 after they have been classified they are caused to closeone of the parts of switch S4 and therefore switch S5 which is connectedto each part of switch S4. Switch S5 on being closed allows relay coil Fto be energized by energy source 49. The energizing of relay coil Fcauses normally closed contacts FI-FS to be opened whereby all energizedrelay coils A-E are caused to be deenergized placing the article sortingidentifying apparatus of the invention in condition to classify asubsequent gear passed from gate 30 to the classification unit 22.

On energization of relay F contacts F6 which are normally open areclosed to energize solenoid S7 which in a manner Well known in the artmay provide the force to open gate 30 and allow a single gear 10 to betransferred to the classification unit 22.

Thus it will be seen that applicant has provided a method by whichsimilar articles produced by a plurality of producing machines may beclassified both as to producing machine from which they originate and asto particular common characteristics of said similar articles and hasdisclosed apparatus for performing such classification.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description ofthe method and apparatus for sorting and identifying sources ofworkpieces in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable anyperson skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of whichis indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Apparatus for sorting similar articles from difierent sourcesaccording to the source of said articles and selected characteristicscommon to all of said articles using a single classification unit,comprising a plurality of sources of said articles, marker meansassociated with said sources to impart a distinctive characteristic toarticles from each source representative of said source, aclassification unit, means for transferring individual articles fromsaid plurality of sources past said marker means to said classificationunit, sensor means operably associated with said classification uni-tfor developing a signal representative of said distinctivecharacteristic of each individual article transferred to saidclassification unit, and error detector means also operably associatedwith said classification unit for developing a signal representative ofthe particular common characteristics of each of said individualarticles, said classification unit being operable in response to saidsignals to classify said individual articles both as to source and saidcommon characteristics.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said distinctivecharacteristic imparted to said articles comprises paint of a differentcolor applied to the articles from each separate source.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said marker means comprises areservoir of paint of a diflerent color associated with each source, aspray nozzle in. communication with each said reservoir and operable onactivation to spray paint on a particular article being discharged fromthe source associated with said reservoir, and switch means operated bysaid particular article on discharge thereof from said source toactivate said spray nozzle.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sensor means is colorsensitive and operable to develop a distinctive signal in response tothe sensing thereby of each of said diiferent colors applied to saidarticles.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sensor means comprises alight sensitive tube positioned to receive light reflected from saidindividual articles as the articles are transferred to saidclassification unit, said tube being operable to produce a signalvariable in accordance with the light received thereby, and colorsensitive light filter positioned between said light sensitive tube andsaid individual articles to permit different light reflected from saidindividual articles of difierent color to reach said light sensitivetube whereby a distinctive signal is produced by said light sensitivetube representative of the source of said individual articles.

6. Apparatus for sorting similar articles from diiferent sourcesaccording to the source of said articles for further classification by asingle classification unit, comprising a classification unit for sortingarticles according to their source and common characteristics, aplurality of diflerent article sources, marker means associated witheach source for imparting a distinctive characteristic to the articlesrepresentative of said source, and sensor means operably associated withthe classification unit for detecting said distinctive characteristic ofeach individual article transferred to the classification unit from thedilferent sources and for indicating the source of each article to theclassification unit.

7. Apparatus for sorting similar articles from different sourcesaccording to the source of said articles for further classification by asingle classification unit, comprising a classification unit for sortingarticles according to their source and common characteristics, aplurality of different article sources, marker means associated witheach of said sources for coloring each of said articles a distinctivecolor representative of said source, and sensor means operablyassociated with the classification unit for detecting said distinctivecolor of each individual article transferred to the classification unitfrom the different sources and for indicating the source of each articleto the classification unit.

8. Apparatus for sorting similar articles from different sourcesaccording to the source of said articles for further classification by asingle classification unit, comprising marker means associated with eachof said sources for coloring each of said articles a distinctive colorrepresentative of said source, including a paint reservoir for storingpaint of said distinctive color and a paint spray nozzle incommunication with said reservoir operable on activation to spray anarticle discharged from the associated source with said distinctivecolor paint, and also including switch means associated with said sourcefor activating said nozzle on discharge of an article from saidassociated source, and sensor means operably associated with theclassification unit for detecting said distinctive color of eachindividual article transferred to the classification unit from thedifferent sources and for indicating the source of each article to theclassification unit, including a light sensitive tube positioned toreceive light reflected from said individual articles as the articlesare transferred to said classification unit, said tube being operable toproduce a signal variable in accordance with light received thereby, andcolor sensitive light filters positioned between said light sensitivetube and said individual articles to permit different light reflectedfrom said individual articles of different color to reach said lightsensitive tube whereby a distinctive signal is produced by said lightsensitive tube representative of the source of said individual articles.

9. A method for sorting similar articles from different sourcesaccording to the source of said articles for further classification by asingle classification unit comprising the step of imparting adistinctive characteristic to the articles at the individual sources,mixing the articles from the different sources after imparting thedistinctive characteristic thereto, transferring the mixed articles tothe classification unit, sensing the distinctive characteristic of eacharticle as it is transferred to the classification unit, and indicatingto the classification unit the source of each article transferredthereto.

10. A method for sorting similar articles from different sourcesaccording to the source of said articles and selected characteristicscommon to all of said articles using a single classification unit,comprising imparting a distinctive characteristic to articles from eachsource representative of said source, transferring individual articlesfrom said sources to said classification unit, sensing said distinctivecharacteristic of the individual articles, developing a signalrepresentative of said distinctive characteristic of said individualarticles operable to cause said classification unit to sort saidarticles according to the respective source thereof, and developing asignal representative of said common characteristics operable to causesaid classification unit to further sort said articles according toparticular common characteristics.

11. A method for sorting similar articles from different sourcesaccording to the source of said articles and selected characteristicscommon to all of said articles using a single classification unit,comprising imparting a distinctive characteristic to articles from eachsource representative of said source, transferring the articles fromsaid sources to said classification unit, sensing the distinctivecharacteristic of the separate articles after they are transferred tothe classification unit, developing a signal representative of thedistinctive characteristic of the separate articles operable to causesaid classification unit to sort said articles according to therespective source thereof, and developing a signal representative ofsaid common characteristics operable to cause said classification unitto further sort said articles according to particular commoncharacteristics.

12. A method for sorting similar articles from dilferent sourcesaccording to the source of said articles and selected characteristicscommon to all of said articles using a single classification unit,comprising imparting a distinctive characteristic to articles from eachsource representative of said source, mixing the articles from thedifferent sources after imparting the distinctive characteristicthereto, transferring the mixed articles from said sources to saidclassification unit, sensing said distinctive characteristic of separatearticles as they are transferred to the clasification unit, developing asignal representative of the distinctive characteristic of the separatearticles operable to cause said classification unit to sort the articlesaccording to the respective source thereof, and developing a signalrepresentative of said common characteristics operable to cause saidclassification unit to further sort said articles according toparticular common characteristics.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,444,751 Scott July 6, 1948 2,560,737 Palmer July 17, 1951 2,566,767Hunt Sept. 4, 1951 2,717,693 Holmes Sept. 13, 1955 2,884,130 Bosch April28, 1959

